1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to Home Network telephone systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for backing up endpoint user data in a Home Network telephone system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, there are a number of cordless telephone products that can store many kinds of user data in the cordless handset. For example, the following types of user data can be stored:
Telephone Directories;
Incoming calling line ID (CLID) lists; and,
User preference configurations.
A typical cordless telephone can suffer from power failure due to the internal rechargeable battery losing its charge. Unless a nonvolatile memory is used, user data such as that listed above is lost when the battery is discharged. Conventionally, this problem is solved by including either additional battery back-up (e.g. a button battery) or by storing the user data in nonvolatile memories. Since nonvolatile memories can be expensive, sometimes only portions of the user data is stored, and thereby protected from loss when the battery is discharged. For example, some telephones do not protect the CLID list in nonvolatile memory, in order to save cost. This implies that when the battery is discharged, any previously incoming CLID data is forever lost.
It would be advantageous if cordless telephone user data could be saved from battery failure.
It would be advantageous if an endpoint in a Home Network telephone system could be resupplied with stored user data in the event of an endpoint battery failure.
It would be advantageous if an endpoint in a Home Network telephone system could be supplied with initial configuration user data upon initial start up.
This invention provides a method for user data to be recovered for a Home Network telephone system endpoint after a battery is discharged, without the need for storage of the data in a local (endpoint) nonvolatile memory. It does this for a Home Network system by using a residential gateway (GW) and data connectivity with the residential GW. A copy of the user data is stored at the GW and can be recovered and transferred back to the endpoint after loss due to battery discharge.
In this invention, the existing memory space inside the residential GW is used to store a mirrored copy of the entire user data of any Home Network Telephony device (endpoint) connected to the gateway. If the data is lost, its copy is recovered from the GW and restored in the Home Network device.
Accordingly, a Home Network telephone system is provided for backing up user data. The system comprises an endpoint to transceive telephone communications. Typically, a plurality of endpoints exist. The endpoints can be devices such as telephones or fax machines, for example. The system also comprises a gateway to service and transceive telephone communications with the endpoints. The gateway has a memory to store a copy of user data associated with each endpoint. The gateway stores user data such as telephone directories, calling line ID (CLID) lists, call-logs, and user preferences for organizing the stored data or other endpoint features such as loudness and ring style.
Optionally, the gateway supplies the endpoints with an initial start-up configuration of user data. The gateway also resupplies an endpoint in response to the endpoint losing user data stored in its local memory. An endpoint that has lost its local memory receives the user data from the gateway, and stores a copy of the user data in a local memory. Conversely, the endpoint has a user interface to generate user data and store the user data in local memory, and the gateway stores a copy of the user data generated by the endpoint in the gateway memory for backup.
More specifically, the gateway uses a control channel to receive a copy of the user data from an endpoint, and after receiving the data, sends an acknowledgement to the endpoint. Then, the user data received from the endpoint is stored in gateway memory. In another aspect of the system, the endpoint periodically transmits user data to the gateway for backing up and the gateway updates stored user data in response to the periodic transmissions from the endpoint.
When an endpoint modifies the user data, the control channel is used to send a copy of the modified user data to the gateway. Likewise, the endpoint uses a control channel to request user data from the gateway, in the event of battery failure, for example.
Additional details of the above-described home telephone network backup system, and a method for backing up user data in a Home Network telephone system, are described below.